William Laird Cronk has been appointed chair of WorkSafeBC’s board of directors for a three-year term, effective Feb. 26, 2026. The appointment was made by Jennifer Whiteside, B.C.’s Minister of Labour.
Cronk, a Red Seal electrician, spent more than two decades working in the marine, communication, commercial, industrial and residential sectors in B.C. He has been serving as vice-chair of the board since February 2024.
New chair brings trades and labour background
Before joining the WorkSafeBC board, Cronk worked as an employment standards officer with B.C.’s Ministry of Labour and represented the BC Building Trades Council. From 2001 to 2018, he served as international representative with the First District Office of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, covering local unions in B.C., the Yukon and Alberta. He was twice elected president of the BC Federation of Labour between 2018 and 2022.
“Workers deserve safe workplaces and fair treatment if they’re injured on the job,” Cronk said. “I am committed to working with the board, staff and key stakeholders to strengthen the workers’ compensation system in our province to meet the needs of the workers and employers who rely on it.”
Outgoing chair transitions to Senate
Cronk succeeds Baltej Dhillon, who has chaired the board since June 2023 and has served as a board member since December 2017. Dhillon stepped aside to focus on his responsibilities as a Canadian senator.
Whiteside credited Dhillon with advancing workplace inclusion, including changes that allowed turban-wearing Sikhs to participate more fully in the workforce, and with supporting the implementation of new return-to-work requirements for injured workers.
Board mandate and composition
The WorkSafeBC board of directors is appointed by the B.C. Minister of Labour. Under the Workers Compensation Act, the board must include professionals from fields such as occupational health and safety, law enforcement and actuarial practice, along with representatives from workers, employers and the public interest.
Whiteside said Cronk’s focus will be on preventing workplace injury and illness, strengthening compliance and ensuring programs are in place to support injured workers.
